THE RACE FOR VOSERS JOB

With regard to your most obvious rivals, Simon Henry seems to be a very intelligent, competent executive, but comes with the baggage of his starring role in the reserves scandal. I published our verdict. Based on my strange experience of communicating with Marvin Odum via RDS Plc Company Secretary Michiel Brandjes, I reached the conclusion that Mr Odum is a creep. As the New York Times has correctly speculated, he carries “the stigma of the Alaska debacle.”

Email to Royal Dutch Shell Upstream International Director Andrew Brown

From: John Donovan <[email protected]>
Subject: THE RACE FOR VOSERS JOB
Date: 3 May 2013 09:54:33 GMT+01:00
To: [email protected]

Dear Mr Brown

As you may recall, we published a leaked email from you minutes after you sent it, the content of which, with my normal lack of tact, I described as drivel.

According to press reports you are a candidate in the race for Peter Vosers job, along with Simon Henry and Marvin Odum.

Perhaps I have read too many gossip columns, but I find the carefully constructed formulation of the resignation quote attributed to Mr Voser rather odd.

“After such an exciting executive career I feel it is time for a change in my lifestyle and I am looking forward to have more time available for my family and private life”.

This seems to imply that his family and private life are two separate things?

With regard to your most obvious rivals, Simon Henry seems to be a very intelligent, competent executive, but comes with the baggage of his starring role in the reserves scandal. I published our verdict.

Based on my strange experience of communicating with Marvin Odum via RDS Plc Company Secretary Michiel Brandjes, I reached the conclusion that Mr Odum is a creep. As the New York Times has correctly speculated, he carries “the stigma of the Alaska debacle.”

Before we consider endorsing your candidacy, I wondered if you would kindly answer a question?

Your CV published on shell.com mentions that for an unspecified period (which I believe to be around 2001) you were “Private Assistant to the Executive Chairman of Shell.”

The actual name of the relevant Executive Chairman was judiciously omitted. Obviously deemed to be unhelpful.

As is confirmed elsewhere on the Internet, that person was Sir Philip Watts, later forced to resign because of his starring role in the reserves scandal.

It seems most unlikely that as his private assistant at that crucial time, you would not be aware of what was being described at the time as reserves issues?

If you say that you had absolutely no knowledge at the time of “reserves issues”, then we will accept your word.

If there is no response, our readers will be able to draw their own conclusions.

Best Regards

John Donovan